Non-refillable bottle.



v J. MELLooH s R.' D. LBWRY. NON-REPILABLE BOTTLE.

AIAPLIOATIOH FILED MAY 5, 1911.

" 1,011,472. Patented m6111911.`

coLUMBlA PLANDORAPH co., WASHINGTDN. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VINCENT J'. MELLOCH-AND BICI-IARD D. LEWRY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO JOSEPH T. SPIKER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

NON-REFILLABLE BOTTLE.

'Patented Dee. 12, 1911.

Serial No. 625,311.

To all whom 'ii may concern', y v

Be it known that we, VINCENT J. MEL- LooH and RICHARD D. LEWRY, citizensof the United States, and residents of the city of Chicago, county ofCook, and State of -Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Non-Refillable Bottles, of

which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in non-refillable bottles and hasfor its object the production of a device of this character which willbe of economical construction and positive and eiiicient in itsoperation.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

With these objects in view. our invention consists in a non-refillablelbottle characterized as above mentioned and in certain details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts all as will be hereinafter fullydescribed and more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

Our invention will be more readily understood by reference to thelaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and inwhich,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bottle embodying our invention, theneck thereof being shown in section, Figs. 2 and 3 are transversesections taken on lines and y-y respectively of Fig. l, and Fig. 4 is asection taken on line .a-z of Fig. 2.

The preferred form of our construction as illustrated in the drawingcomprises a bottle having a body l which may be of any ordinary orpreferred form, and a substantially cylindrical neck 2 upwardlyprojecting therefrom. Formed at the base of the neck l integraltherewith is an annular inwardly projecting flange 3 forming arestricted central opening 4. Arranged above the flange 3 is a valve 5of a substantially conical form as shown, the base of said valve whichis perfectly flat resting upon the upper surface of said flange, saidsurface being correspondinglyV formed so lthat when said bottle is inupright or non-'pouring position said plug will serve to effectuallyclose the opening 4 preventing the entrance of liquid to the body 1. Thebase portion of the neck 1, that vis that portion which is adjacent thevalve 5 is conically formed to correspond with the form of said plug.With this arrangement the plug 5 will be maintained in operative orclosing position by reason of the corresponding conformation of theinner surface of said neck engaged thereby until the bottle when tiltedhas reached the pouring position, that is with the mouth thereofpositioned in a horizontal plane'belowr the bottom thereof. Said plug 5is formed intermediate its extremities with a circumferential corner oredge 6 upon which said plug is adapted to rock when the bottle is inpouring position, to uncover the opening 4 to permit of discharge of thecontents of the bottle.

Arranged above the valve plug 5 is a cylindrical plug 7 which snuglyfits within the neck 2. Provided in the lateral surface of the upper endportion of the plug 7 is a circumferentially disposed leaf spring 8, thesame being positioned in a recess 9 formed in the plug 7 for thereception thereof. The extremities of said spring 8 are disposedoutwardly, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 forv engagement with acircumferential annular groove 11 formed in the inner surface of theneck 2 intermediate the extremities of the latter. The recess 9 is soformed as to permit of depression of the ends 10 so that the outer endsof the latter will be` flush with the lateral surface of said plug 7';this provision being made in order to permit of insertion of the plug 7into the neck of the bottle. In such insertion it is understood that theends 10 are depressed as mentioned so that the same willv pass the outereX- tremity of the neck. The plug'` is then lowered to the positionshown,'the ends 10, when said plug has reached this position, beingforced outwardly by reason of the resiliency of the spring 8 intoengagement with the groove 11, thereby obviously permanently lockingsaid plug in position, removal thereof being impossible without breakingthe neck of the bottle. In order to further aid in the insertion of saidplug 7, the central portion of the spring 8 is provided at its oppositeedges with inwardly projecting ears 8, the inclination of said ears,more particularly of the lower one, evidently serving to effect readypassage of the medial portion of the spring beyond the upper extremityor edge of the neck, as will be readily understood. The plug 7 when inoperative position evidently serves as a means of imprisoning the valveplug 5, the arrangement being such that limited longitudinal movement ofthe valve plug will be permitted.

Formed in the upper end of the plug 7 is an axial opening 12. Leadingfrom the lower end of the opening 12 are substantially radially disposedpassages 13 which communicate at their outer ends with a circumferentialgroove 14, longitudinally extending grooves 15 extending downwardly fromsaid groove 14 into communication with the valve plug chamber. lThuscommunication is established between the valve plug chamber and the openupper end of the neck 2 so that upon pouring from the bottle, the liquidwill first pass through the opening 4 into the valve plug chamber whencethe same will pass successively through the grooves 15 and 14, passages13, and the terminal opening 12 to the open mouth end of the neck. Thegrooves 15 are arranged preferably in staggered relation with thepassages 13 so as to preclude the possibility of the insertion of wiresor other instruments for the purpose of tampering` with the operation ofthe valve plug. Also the passages 13 are inclined as shown so that inthe event of a hooked instrument being lowered into the opening 12 intoengagement with said passages in an effort to remove the plug 7, thehooked end of the instrument engaging said passages will more readilyslide out of engagement therewith and thus frustrate the attempt.

Provided in the lower end of the plug 7 is a recess 1G preferably oftruncated conical form with which the apex of the valve plug is adaptedto engage when the latter is unseated as in the event of pouring fromthe bottle. Said recess 16 serves as a means of maintaining` the valve.plug in its proper position in the valve chamber when in unseatedposition and in the act of pouring from the bottle and so that the valveplug, when the bottle is righted, will readily drop to operative orclosing position over the opening 4. By reason of the peculiar form ofthe recess 1 the apex of t-he valve plug in engaging therewith willcontact at only one or possibly two points thereby reducing frictionbetween said plugs 5 and 7 to a minimum and so that free movement of thevalve will not be impaired by the contacting thereof with said plug 7,

The plug 7 is disposed as shown preferably medially in the neck 2 sothat the upper end portion of the latter will be open for the insertionof a cork or stopper 17 thereinto.

In use initial filling of the bottle is effected for the insertion ofthe valve plug and the plug 7. After such insertion it will be observedthat pouring from the bottle will also be permitted, refilling thereofafter once being emptied being absolutely prevented.

A bottle of the construction as set forth is durable and economical, andthe same is of high eiiiciency in operation.

While we have illustrated and described the preferred form for carryingour invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modificationwithout departing from the spirit of the invention. 7e therefore do notwish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, butdesire to avail ourselves of such variations and modifications as comewithin the scope of `the appended claim.

Having described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

A bottle of the class described, having a groove in the inner wall ofits neck; a plug fitting into said neck and provided with asemi-circular peripheral recess having central longitudinal branches,there being a tortuous passage through said plug; a spring in saidrecess and having outwardly turned ends engaging said groove; inwardlyinclined ears on the central portion of said spring seated in saidrecess branches; and a valve in the bottom of said neck below said plug,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

VINCENT J. MELLOGH. RICHARD D. LEVRY.

lVitnesses:

ARTHUR A. OLsoN, JosI-IUA R. H. Po'r'rs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

